The invention relates to a conveying apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a transporting means according to the preamble of claim 6, said transporting means being configured in accordance with the conveying arrangement.
EP 0 592 918 discloses a conveying arrangement with a strand of links which are driven in a state in which they butt against one another via end surfaces and are secured by means of guide rails. Such a row of links can be conveyed, in particular, on a rectilinear guide rail by means of the pushing forces acting thereon.
The disadvantage with this known apparatus is the fact that the links, which are pushed in a curved section of the guide rail, produce a force which acts in the radial direction in relation to the guide rail, resulting in considerable force losses by friction and necessitateing a guide-rail design which can be correspondingly subjected to loading. In addition, the links and also the guide rails experience increased wear. The known conveying apparatus is thus suitable for preferably rectilinear pushing operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,838 discloses a further conveying apparatus comprising a multiplicity of transporting means which can be moved individually, can be driven in a state in which they butt against one another via end sides, and are guided by means of a guide rail, a drive means which acts on the transporting means being provided in curved section of the guide rail.
The disadvantage with this known apparatus is the fact that the transporting means are subjected to a radially outwardly acting force in the curved section of the guide rail, and this causes increased frictional forces and increased wear. In addition, the situation where successive transporting means are in contact with one another in the curved section in not ruled out, and this causes additional wear.
An object of the present invention is to develop an apparatus of the type mentioned in the introduction so as to provide a conveying apparatus which has transporting means conveyed by pushing forces, can negotiate rectilinear paths and paths of any desired curvature and has low wear.
This object is achieved by a conveying apparatus having the features of claim 1. Subclaims 2, 3, 4 and 5 relate to further advantageous configurations of the conveying apparatus. The object is also achieved by a transporting means which is configured in adaptation to the conveying apparatus and has the features of claim 6. Subclaims 7 to 9 relate to further advantageously configured transporting means. The object is also achieved by a method of conveying rail-guided transporting means.
The object is achieved, in particular, by a conveying apparatus having a multiplicity of transporting means which can be moved individually, can be driven in a state in which they butt against one another via end sides, and are guided by means of a guide rail, and also comprising a drive means which acts on the transporting means in a curved section of the guide rail, it being the case that the drive means and the transporting means interact in a form-fitting manner in order to convey successive transporting means in the curved section in a position in which they do not come into contact with one another.
In a preferred embodiment, the transporting means are secured on the guide rail.
One advantage of the conveying apparatus according to the invention is that, within a curved section of the guide rail, the transporting means, which are otherwise conveyed in a state in which they butt against one another and are subjected to pressure, are retained and conveyed without coming into contact with one another, with the result that there is no force occurring which acts in the radial direction as a result of the transporting means being in contact with one another. In addition, the drive means, engaging in the transporting means in a form-fitting manner, causes a force which acts essentially in the conveying direction of the transporting means. The force components which cause friction and/or wear in the curved section are thus very small, for which reason it is also possible for the transporting means to be conveyed in the curved section by low forces in the conveying direction.
The drive means, which acts on the transporting means in the curved rail section, is suitable, in particular, for section within which the transporting means undergoes a relatively large change in direction of, for example, 90 degrees or 180 degrees. In the case of a small change in direction of a few degrees, for example of 10 degrees, it is also possible to dispense with the driving means, with the result that the transporting means pass through a guide-rail section which is curved in this way as bodies which subject one another to pressure.
The conveying apparatus according to the invention makes it possible for transporting means which can be subjected to pressure and are driven in a state in which they butt against one another via end sides to be conveyed along a guide rail in the horizontal, vertical or any three-dimensional direction. In addition, it is possible to convey any desired length of row of abutting, rail-guided transporting means which are subjected to pressure, since the row is relieved of loading at each guide-rail curved section which has a drive means. The drive means can be driven actively by a motor. In the rectilinear direction, the row of abutting transporting means forms a type of bar which can be subjected to pressure. The conveying apparatus according to the invention makes it possible to form, so to speak, the xe2x80x9ccurved barxe2x80x9d in the row of abutting transporting means form a type of bar in each case in which rectilinear rail sections, and, in curved rail sections, the transporting means are well retained and conveyed without coming into contact with one another, the pushing forces nevertheless being transmitted, by the conveying apparatus according to the invention, to the abutting transporting means which are arranged in each case in the rail section following the curved rail section.
The drive means may be designed, for example as a toothed belt or a gearwheal with outwardly projecting teeth.
The transporting means are configured as rail-guided rolling or sliding bodies, and the size of the transporting means and/or of the rail is to be configured in adaptation to the object which is to be conveyed. It is possible for the transporting means, for the purpose of conveying relatively small loads, for example printed products, to be of correspondingly small configuration or, for the purpose of conveying relatively heavy loads, for example bottles or pieces of luggage, to be of correspondingly large configuration.
Particularly preferred embodiments and uses of the conveying apparatus according to the invention, and of the corresponding transporting means, are disclosed in CH Patent Applications Nos. 1997 2962/97, 1997 2963/97, 1997 2965/97 (Representative""s references A12204CH, A12205CH, A12207CH) by the same applicant, said applications being filed on the same day and having the titles xe2x80x9cSchienenfxc3xchrbares Fxc3x6rdermittel und Fxc3xchrungsschiene zum Fxc3xchren des Fxc3x6rdermittelsxe2x80x9d [Rail-guidable conveying means and guide rail for guiding the conveying means] xe2x80x9cFxc3x6rdersystemxe2x80x9d [Conveying system] and xe2x80x9cFxc3x6rdereinrichtungxe2x80x9d [Conveying apparatus].